Okorocha, Offor, others get Certificate of Return from INEC

From L-R, Governor Okorocha and Mr Offor (photo by Ebere Inyama)

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, his Deputy, Prince Eze Madumere and House of Assembly member-elect, Mr. Chinedu Offor were among those given Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday (30-04-15) for their victory at the just concluded general elections.

Speaking at the INEC Headquarters in Owerri, Governor Okorocha commended the electoral body, the police, SSS, Army and other security agencies for living up to expectation in successfully managing the electioneering process in the State.

Said he; “I congratulate INEC for managing to conclude the elections despite the supplementary nature of this election. I’m happy that finally has come to an end.”

Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha pledged to do everything within his capability to ensure that Imo people enjoy democracy dividend and charged those elected into political offices to put away party affiliations for the interest of the masses.

He regretted that the nation’s democracy is yet to attain maturity after many years of its practice in the country and insisted that those who were involved in election malpractices be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others.

Also speaking, the member-elect representing Onuimo State constituency, Mr. Chinedu Offor commended INEC for the conduct of credible and peaceful polls while pledging that the efforts of the House would be geared towards uplifting the State to greater heights.

 Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Gabriel Ada said the presentation of Certificate of Return mark the climax of the electioneering process and expressed appreciation to the various stakeholders that helped nurture the process as well as ensured peace and orderliness during the process,

He commended political parties that participated in the election for their good conduct and advised that they assist in information dissemination to their members in future elections.

Contributing, the National Commissioner representing Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu, Dame Gladys Nwafor congratulated those who emerged victorious in the elections and advised them to be magnanimous in victory.

Okorocha wins 2015 guber election in Imo

Okorocha celebrating victory at the polls (credit to The Nation)

Owelle Rochas Okorocha has returned for a second term in office as governor of Imo State after winning the April 25^th supplementary election for Imo State. Okorocha defeated his closest rival, Mr Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with an additional 31,326 votes yesterday leaving 13,624 for Ihedioha in the supplementary election.
Recall that during the April 11^th gubernatorial election in the State, Okorocha scored 385,671 votes as against   Ihedioha’s 306,142 , a difference of  79,529
The supplementary election took place in 200 Polling Units across 23 local government areas.
Of this number of LGA, Okorocha won in 21.
His  performance defied efforts of the PDP to manipulate  the process through rigging .
Poll returns  announced last night  are as follows:

Nwangele (re-run held in three polling units)
APC: 279
PDP: 55

Orsu (re-run held in three polling units)
APC: 471
PDP: 218

Njaba (re-run held in six polling units)
APC: 1,095
PDP: 236

Obowo (re-run held in two wards)
APC: 697
PDP: 505

Nkwerre Local Government. Re-run held in two wards.
APC: 255
PDP: 164

Oru West
APC: 395
PDP: 129

Okigwe (re-run in two wards)
APC: 603
PDP: 76

Orlu (re-run held in three wards)
APC: 687
PDP: 179

Ihite Uboma (re-run held in one polling unit)
APC: 131
PDP: 66

Owerri North
APC: 674
PDP: 620

Onuimo
APC: 412
PDP: 207

Ezinhitte Mbaise (re-run held at four polling units)
APC: 213
PDP: 715

Ihime Mbano
APC: 604
PDP: 393

Abo Mbaise
APC: 686
PDP: 939

Owerri West
APC: 1,342
PDP: 793

Ohaji Egbema
APC: 1,210
PDP: 996

Mbaitoli
APC: 3,997
PDP: 2,422

Oru East
APC: 7,154
PDP: 118

Ngow Okpala
APC: 4150
PDP: 323

Isu
APC: 2,773
PDP: 979

Okorocha congratulates Buhari for victory at the polls

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, has congratulated Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for his victory at the just concluded presidential election.

Addressing a group of journalists shortly after the election, Okorocha’s ICT Editor, Mr Ebere Inyama described the election as free, fair and credible and commended Nigerians for making the right choice.

Mr Inyama pointed out that Rochas' decision to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) has yielded a positive result and has also brought hope for the people of Imo State.

He called on all Imolites to support Governor Okorocha in forth-coming Gubernatorial election so as to guarantee a bright future for the State during the next administration.

Permanent Voter Cards: Imo govt declares 2 days public holidays for workers

The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has declared Thursday 5^th and Friday 6^th February 2015 as work-free days to enable government workers in the State obtain the INEC’s Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).

Owelle Okorocha announced this while addressing School Principals, Head Teachers and teachers in public schools at the Imo International Conference Centre, Owerri recently.

He said the workers as well as other citizens who have not collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards would do so within the two-days public holidays to enable them participate in the February 2015 elections, noting that it was the only way the people can defend democracy and safeguard the future of Imo State as he added ‘vote and stay to see your votes counted.’

He said the meeting with the teachers was aimed at discussing the way forward for education which he said remains the major policy thrust of the State and to ensure that teachers are well equipped for qualitative education.

He commended the teachers for their input in ensuring the success of free education in the State while reminding them that they owe it as a duty to give the students proper care just as government has met its obligations to teachers and civil servants through regular payment of workers’ salaries, pensions, promotions.  He noted that for the first time teachers in the State were promoted to Level 17.  “All these and other welfare packages have made strike action a forgotten issue in Imo State,” he observed.

Governor Okorocha revealed government’s plan to introduce the production of raw materials by students to feed the agro-based industrial revolution coming into the State soon.  He therefore directed the teachers to prepare for the programme and to ensure that enough teachers are posted to all schools to meet up with the increased students enrolment.  He  used the occasion to warn that any land in the State that is left fallow will be loaned to government for cultivation for about ten years, saying this is to encourage maximum use of land for the wellbeing of the people.  “We must act quickly to save our society from impending food scarcity and suffering,” he warned.

He explained that the Youth Must Work programme was introduced to promote Teachers Support Programme as well as prepare unemployed graduates for subsequent employment into the Civil Service and teaching profession.  He however enjoined Principals and Head Teachers to keep accurate attendance record of teachers under Youth Must Work to ensure that only hardworking ones are paid and recommended for full employment.

Owelle Okorocha pointed out that government was already transforming public schools into model schools and furnishing them with state of the art facilities to ensure conducive learning environment as seen in Emmanual College, Akwakuma Girls secondary school, Ikenegbu Girls secondary school and other schools in the State capital and assured that same will be replicated in every school in the 27 LGAs.

The governor debunked the allegations that the 305 upstairs in the primary schools in the State were built by Federal Government and described the Peoples’ Democratic Party and other oppositions as involving in ‘campaign of calumny’ arising from envy, seeing that the Rescue Mission government achieved in three and half years what PDP administration could not achieve in 12 years.  He expressed worries that if PDP is voted into power, the free education and other developmental projects done in the State will be put on the reverse, despoil the State and loot her treasury. “Don’t get involved in their evil acts, the works I’ve done in the State will speak for me. If they love Imo so much, why have they not built schools and offer free education before now?” the governor queried.

While requesting for the people’s massive vote to him and all APC candidates in the oncoming elections, governor Okorocha assured all that the Party’s Presidential flag bearer, General Muhammadu Buhari will stop at nothing in fighting corruption and ensuring freedom of worship in the nation if elected President.

Disclosing his agenda for 2015 to 2019, Owelle Okorocha said, “after fixing all the schools, I will turn the State into ‘China’; there will be Industries, industries, industries, factories, factories, factories, job, job, job, employment, employment, employment.”

Okorocha tasks lawyers to monitor political campaigns in Nigeria

Governor Okorocha in group pix with Justice Mary Odili and the the Chief judge of Imo State, Jusice Paschal Nnadi as well as others during the Nigerian Bar Association week held in Owerri recentlly

Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has called on lawyers to show genuine interest in the processes to the 2015 elections in Nigeria especially the campaigns of the presidential and governorship candidates to determine whether they are issue-oriented or mere blackmail.

Speaking during the 2015 Law Week of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Owerri Branch with the theme, “2015 General Elections in Nigeria: The Task Before the Legal Profession”, the governor tasked lawyers not wait until election cases are brought to them to handle, before waking up to their responsibilities in the electoral processes in Nigeria.

He urged the lawyers to come up with a communiqué that can address the issue of presidential and governorship campaigns. 

 According to the governor, campaigns should be based on “what can you do for the people and what can you do to change the society positively rather than religion or where one comes from.” 

He continued, “I want to urge you today to advice politicians to discuss issues because you handle their cases, the aftermath of the elections.  And it pains me that even the elites in our society no longer think about issues.  For instance, for me, I said, having done all these infrastructural development, my second tenure if I return by the grace of God, as the governor of Imo State, I will engage in factory, factory, factory, industry, industry, industry, job, job, job, etc.”

Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha had this to tell the lawyers; “In Nigerian politics, there are factors that determine who wins election, I would want you people to speak about such.  Unfortunately, the federal government has all the powers.  So, I encourage you to struggle to be independent if you must render judgment without fear or favour.”

 “I wish this honourable house would come up with policy statement on some of these issues.  I thank God for the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man.  Today, Nigeria is going through a very difficult moment.  Many are imagining that there will be no election.  Some think that there will be no election in Maiduguri and some of these states where there is Boko Haram.  But the question we must ask ourselves today is that in the face of all these challenges we have in Nigeria, who among the candidates can stop corruption, stop Boko Haram, and unite Nigerian which is about to disintegrate?  Your answer is as good as mine.”

                                                                                              

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of NBA, Owerri Branch Mr. Stanley Chidozie Imo commended the smooth appointment of a new Chief Judge for the state, and thanked Governor Okorocha and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh, (SAN) for their respective roles in making sure that the State has a substantive Chief Judge in record time.

Over 1,200 people to receive free eye treatment in Imo through MTN Foundation/Eye Project

MTN Foundation/Eye Project in collaboration with the Imo State Ministry of Health has commenced a 3-week free cataract surgery, eye screening and distribution of eye glasses to people suffering from eye impairment in the State.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony held at the Specialist Hospital, Umuguma Owerri, Governor Rochas Okorocha commended MTN Foundation for coming to the rescue of people having challenges to their sight while calling on Nigerians to adopt the culture of helping the less privileged.  Said he;  “Life is aimless unless you are able to help those who are in need that is why I invest greater percentage of all I have to charity through the Rochas Foundation,”

He pointed out that lack of vision is a great obstacle to both individual and a nation just as he noted that Nigeria has not done well by neglecting the poor and needy in the society. 

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Edward Ihejirika thanked Governor Okorocha for his feat in the Health sector which he said helped Imo in attracting the programme, having satisfied the needed requirements from MTN in a contest among the five States in the South-East,

Dr. Ihejirika urged Imolites to use the rare opportunity and visit the Specialist Hospital, Umuguma Road, Owerri to receive free eye treatment, screening, surgery (removal of cataract) and eye glasses within the period.

In her remarks, the General Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma said the project has been awarded to Imo State for the South-East on merit alone, as she noted that ‘this shows many good things are going on in Imo State.’

Ms. Ugboma who said this is the 2^nd phase of the Eyesight Restoration Intervention Scheme aimed at curbing preventable blindness in Nigeria, explained that the screening, surgery and eye glass distribution will hold on daily basis at the Specialist Hospital, Umuguma, Owerri. She said there will also be eye screening at the General Hospital, Mbaise from 16 to 18^th January, St. Anthony Catholic Hospital, Okigwe from 19^th to 24^th January and General Hospital, Orlu from 26^th to 30^th January, 2015. 

She recalled that in the 1^st phase of the programme, more than 34,000 patients benefited in the 6 States involved with about 12,000 surgeries and called on the Imo Health team to ensure the huge success of the programme and exceed 1,200 surgeries within the 3 weeks duration.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman, MTN Foundation, Dr. Paschal Dozie said the programme targets the elimination of eye defects, noting that cataract can cause blindness which is a major handicap in man.

Dr. Dozie maintained that MTN is the only Company in Nigeria that has selected programmes touching the welfare of Nigerians having invested about N10.5 billion in education, training of musicians, women empowerment, scholarships, and other areas of need.

He thanked Governor Okorocha for promoting the welfare of Imo people.

In an interview with some of the patients already operated upon, Mr. Eugene Okoro from Ikeduru said he was grateful to Governor Okorocha and MTN for helping him regain sight and prayed God to reward them.

Mrs. Joy Ugwu from Ideator North could not hold her excitement as she recounted her ordeal in Calabar where she paid over N45,000 for eye surgery and expressed joy at the opportunity to receive a fast, easy and free surgery to her eye in her own State, Imo.

Highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of patients already operated upon at the hospital, by Governor Okorocha.

Okorocha declares for 2nd term, urges Imolites to vote for Buhari on Feb 14

Governor Okorocha endorsing General Buhari at the political rally held in Owerri on 12th Jan 2015

The Imo State governor, Owele Rochas Okorocha has declared for a second term in office.

Speaking during the official declaration at the Dan Anyiam stadium in Owerri today, Governor Okorocha assured the people of Imo State that the era when the Peoples Democratic  Party (PDP) rigged elections in Imo State has gone, adding that he will build industries and provide employment opportunities for the people if he is re-elected as governor in February 2015.

He urged the people of Imo State to vote en-mass for the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhamadu Buhari during the forth-coming election so as to guarantee the provision of dividends of democracy to Imo State.

Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha assured General Buhari that the people of Imo State will vote en-masse for him during the election. He tasked Buhari to remember the People of Imo State when he eventually becomes President by providing them with democracy dividends which include among others, the construction of a second Niger bridge, building of an international airport in Imo State and the creation of an additional State in the South-East geopolitical zone.

Responding, General Buhari expressed joy at the mammoth crowd that gathered at the Stadium in support of the All Progressives Congress (APC).  He assured the people of Imo State that he will not let them down if he wins the presidential election next month.

General Buhari promised to eradicate insurgency in Nigeria as well as create massive employment opportunities for the people through the provision of steady electricity power supply to all parts of Nigeria, adding that he will revive all the moribund industries and provide potable water for the people.

The high point of the occasion was the presentation of the APC candidates in Imo State by Governor Okorocha.

political rally held in Owerri on 12th Jan 2015

Also present at the occasion is the APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osibajo, The Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amechi, National Chairman of the APC, John Odigie Oygeun, former governors of Abia and Bayelsa, Ogbonnaya Onu and Timipre Sylva, Senators Chris Ngige and Osita Izunaso, Chief Tony Momoh, National Woman leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hajiya Ramatu Aliyu and a host of others.